Wise Fools
by littlemisscass
Summary: Choi Young Do and Yoo Rachel find themselves out on a balcony together at a charity event and not only stop being acquaintances, but accidentally start dating as well. Chaos ensues. Heirs Future AU.
1. Loveless Lovers

**Chapter One:**

**Loveless Lovers**

**...**

It was at a charity event that it first happened.

Young Do and Rachel had been close acquaintances for years, and were at one point in time startlingly close to becoming siblings, and yet they had never had a single meaningful conversation that didn't involve revenge or chit-chat.

It was at a charity event that it first happened. Young Do spied a woman standing alone on the balcony, hidden away from the civilised party inside. Her hair was long and dark, curving down her back, and her short black dress made her pale legs look endless. He was sliding through the half open door before he knew what he was doing.

"Hello," he said, wondering who on Earth she could be. There were few women he knew that came to these gatherings and looked like _that_.

It was a surprise, then, when the woman turned, and he found Yoo Rachel smirking back at him.

"You!"

"Me," Rachel laughed.

It was an uncommon sight, his almost-sister laughing. To be fair, the last few times he had spoken to her, she had had little to laugh about. In school, she had been engaged to Kim Tan, which was certainly something one would hate. Then the break up with Lee Hyo Shin. That was after... three years of dating? They'd been out of school for five years now, and Rachel was now busy with RS International. She still had little to laugh about, when she had to be serious and businesslike all the time.

It was with a pang of he didn't know what that Young Do realised that Rachel was very pretty when she smiled. When she laughed. _She should do it more_, he thought, before realising he'd just considered all the reasons why she hadn't done it often.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, leaning against the rail.

A rue smile settled on her lips. _Her lips are bright red_, Young Do noted absently.

"Mother wanted me to meet yet another eligible chaebol heir to marry... or something about networking. I don't remember. I just knew I wouldn't be able to stand whoever she made me talk to next, so I escaped."

He chuckled, knowing the feeling exactly. Tonight was a rare reprieve, as his father was on his honeymoon with his new wife, but Young Do was often introduced to several potential brides at every party.

It was terrible, but it was what was expected.

"You could always tell her that you're dating someone," Young Do said, without thinking.

Rachel frowned, "But I'm not."

He raised an eyebrow in response.

"Ah! But she'll ask for names and family connections... it just won't work. What if she goes and discusses it with his family? Remember what happened with..."

She trailed off, but Young Do knew who she meant. Lee Hyo Shin's parents were surprised and shocked by Lee Esther's out-of-the-blue suggestion that the couple should get engaged. They hadn't even known that Rachel and Hyo Shin were dating. Three weeks later, Hyo Shin was sent off to America to "study abroad" and Rachel was left with an unsaid confirmation that their relationship was over.

Meddling parents were awful.

"Just..." Young Do considered, "Just say it's me."

"What?!"

"She won't want you to marry me, considering how she dumped my father. And she'll leave you be in the meantime. Lee Esther will just hope our _relationship _will run its course and you'll be ready to marry then," he reasoned.

_What had gotten into him?_

_All he'd wanted was to meet the woman on the balcony, and here he was offering to fake date his almost-sister._

Rachel said nothing for a few minutes, clearly considering the outrageous proposal. Young Do assumed she would say no. After all, she was the more logical out of the two of them.

She took a deep breath and faced him.

"Okay.

"What?!"

"I'll tell her that I'm dating you."

Young Do couldn't actually believe that she'd taken him up on his offer.

Firstly, _what had he done?_ Why would he offer someone he wasn't all that close to such a ridiculous favour? If his father heard about this, he'd actually insist on the match.

Secondly, why had she agreed? It was true that marriage meetings were a bore and networking at these sorts of functions was incredibly dull for anyone under the age of forty, but it wasn't anything new. They'd been here for more than ten years, suffering through it. What was different now?

Thirdly, was he actually going to have to pretend to be her... _boyfriend_?

"So... uh... you'll pretend to date me," he responded coolly.

Rachel laughed again. When she wasn't serious, Rachel looked just as she had when they were fifteen and had no worries in the world.

"Yes. But don't worry, you're right that my mother won't spread the news. And you don't have to do anything, just speak to me once or twice when she's nearby," Rachel said.

Young Do's eyes, which had strayed back to the party during his several moments of internal panic, focused on a figure weaving her way toward them.

Unsure of what to do exactly, as he was probably the last person who would know what to do in an actual relationship, Young Do grabbed Rachel's hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.

She squeaked but followed his gaze to her mother, who was moving closer by the second, speaking to acquaintances in her path, but steadily continuing toward her goal. Her daughter.

"I'll tell her now," Rachel decided. At Young Do's worried look, she added, "It's better now than later. If I don't say something here, I'll be dragged around for the rest of the night."

He smiled apologetically, nodding in acquiescence.

Lee Esther stepped out onto the balcony, "Choi Young Do, it has been a long time."

Her eyes zeroed in on their linked hands.

It was a colder voice that questioned, "Rachel?"

"I am dating Young Do, Mother."

It was at a charity event that it first happened.

Choi Young Do and Rachel had their first real conversation.

And they just accidentally fell into a relationship, albeit a fake one.


	2. Should Have Been Loved

**Chapter Two:**

**Should Have Been Loved**

**...**

The next time Young Do saw Rachel was yet another accident.

It was late on a Friday night and he had just given up on finishing some documents on an upcoming merger. They could wait until tomorrow. As he settled into the sofa, still dressed in his pristine suit minus the jacket, ready to watch whatever mindlessly enjoyable drivel was on television, his cell phone rang.

There were few people who called Young Do on his cell phone.

Business contacts called him at the office.

Family, other than his mother, didn't know any of his numbers.

There were _really _only three people that could be calling at this time of night.

Myung Soo, his mother, or Rachel.

Given the late hour and the day of the week, it was very likely Myung Soo, demanding he join the group at a club.

And so, it was a mild surprise when, after several rings, Young Do answered the phone and heard a female mumbling incoherently.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Young Do stood in front of a convenience store, doing his best to school his expression.<p>

He wanted to grin. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to _smirk_.

Never in his life could he have imagined being called up at 11:27 at night by Yoo Rachel, who was barely conscious enough to tell him where she was. Never could he have imagined finding her drunk and eating ramen on plastic chairs outside a convenience store.

Seconds later, ramen pushed aside, she was a sleep, her arm serving as a pillow and hair forming a curtain across her face.

Rachel briefly stirred when he called her name, but settled quickly back into sleep.

They were halfway back to Young Do's-on foot, as he piggy-backed her-when Rachel awoke. She said nothing for a few minutes and he didn't realise she was conscious until she spoke, startling him.

"Where are we going?"

"The hotel. I didn't think you'd like your mother to see you in this state. She'd think it was my fault, which it clearly is not, and I'd really like to avoid a confrontation with anyone right now."

Rachel just tightened her arms around his neck.

He could tell she was glad.

"It was her, wasn't it? The reason you drank so much."

She said nothing, but he could feel her nodding from where her head lay between his shoulder and head.

Rachel was strong and confident.

What had her mother done to unravel that composure?

Young Do knew better than anyone that strength and confidence didn't mean that the person _was _strong and confident, but Rachel's insecurities were nothing in the face of her stubbornness. She should have been loved by her mother, not driven to excess. It had to have been something awful for her to get drunk. It wasn't like her.

The time passed quickly as they walked, Rachel still on Young Do's back, and they soon found themselves in the elevator.

Rachel had protested at some point near the hotel, saying that people would see them and say things, but Young Do reminded her of their conversation a week earlier and their _relationship_.

She went silent at that.

In fact, she was silent until he dumped her on the sofa and retreated to his room with only a "Good night, sister."

She burst out laughing and it wasn't until she stopped a while later that she realised that she'd never actually been in Young Do's apartment.

It was a consideration for another time, and Rachel fell asleep in seconds.

She was on an unfamiliar sofa in an unfamiliar place.

And yet she was comfortable.

* * *

><p>It was light when Rachel opened her eyes, and someone was clearing their throat.<p>

_Young Do._

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up abruptly, shocking the maid standing near the bed.

_The bed?_

She was in his bed. Fully clothed, and in his bed.

At some point in the night, or even earlier that morning, he had moved her to his bed.

_So that they'll think that we're dating._

Rachel had never really considered Choi Young Do's intelligence until that moment. He was smart. Bottom of their class at school, but brilliant.

She had chosen the right person to help her avoid chaebol heirs.

And yet there she was, in the bed of a chaebol heir.

The maid cleared her throat again, "Director Choi is currently working. You should gather your things and leave."

Rachel raised an eyebrow and stood, shaking out the skirt of her dress. It was wrinked. Eugh.

Her head ached.

"I will leave after I see Young Do."

The least she could do was thank him for helping her last night.

The woman frowned, "Who may I tell him you are?"

"He'll know, but it's Yoo Rachel."

Her eyebrows shot up and she bowed in apology, "I'll tell him you wish to speak to him."

* * *

><p>Young Do was trying to work. He <em>was.<em> But every time he tried to focus on the documents in front of him, all he could think of was Rachel curled into a ball on his sofa.

_It was only an hour after she'd fallen asleep that he emerged from his room to check on her. Rachel's arms hugged her legs and she whimpered in her sleep. Young Do had no idea what possessed him but he swiftly crossed the room and gingerly picked her up. It was a short walk into his room and he carefully placed her on the bed before pulling the blankets up and around her._

_He stood to move away but a hand grasped his and he paused. As if his touch had cured her of her nightmare, she uncurled slightly and smiled._

_Young Do smiled in return._

_He'd always seen Rachel as a sister, or an acquaintance, but she was beautiful, less calculated, while she slept. _

_Innocent._

_Normal._

_It was refreshing._

_She was beautiful._

He was working.

Working.

Yes.

"Yoo Rachel is outside."

_Oh God._


	3. Logical Love

**Chapter Three: **

**Logical Love**

**…**

Rachel had not planned on drinking herself to oblivion. It was not something she did often, and when she did, it was almost always because everything was not going her way.

She had never felt all that close to her mother, and was rarely surprised at the lack of emotion involved in their encounters, yet the evening before was different.

Esther often requested Rachel to do things. She spoke in dulcet but strong tones that conveyed the importance of the order and the suggestion that Rachel should do as she asked or the repercussions would not be pleasant. Rachel often went along with her mother's wishes just because it presented the easiest outcome: being left alone for another few days or weeks.

The evening before, Esther had come home fuming.

Rachel was sitting in the living room, flicking through television channels searching for the one drama she could stand, when Esther started yelling.

She never yelled.

"Do you know who I was supposed to have a meeting with today? Chairman Park. His assistant called fifteen minutes after the meeting was supposed to start, saying that he couldn't come. Do you know _why _he cancelled, Rachel? Because you were supposed to go on a date with his grandson this week, but I had to cancel it because of your _relationship _with Choi Young Do. I was going to magnanimous and accept this, Rachel, but I can't have you hampering business. The _one thing _that you've been good at in the past has been helping me with the business. _And now you're harming it!_"

Rachel didn't know what to say. Her mother had never been affectionate. Had rarely hugged her unless it was for PR purposes. But Rachel had always believed that there was some party of Lee Esther that loved her. Apparently not. Apparently, her only purpose was to further the business.

She was a tool, not a daughter.

So she drank.

At a convenience store.

And woke up at home, hungover, and wondering how exactly she got there.

* * *

><p>After looking at her phone log, and recovering enough that she would consider stepping outside, Rachel set off to find Young Do.<p>

It was surprising that she'd called him, but she didn't _really _have many close friends, or many friends that she could call to pick her up, drunk, in the middle of the night.

So she'd called Young Do, her faux boyfriend.

He was in his office, working, but she was soon ushered into the mid-sized room, furnished sparsely but comfortably.

"Rachel," Young Do gestured toward an armchair and took a seat opposite, smiling politely, albeit distantly.

"I'm sorry to come while you are working, but I thought I ought to apologise for last night... I wasn't exactly in my right mind when I called you."

His smile widened and, for the first time, reached his eyes, "It was fine, honestly. Really, as your boyfriend, I was the first person you should have called, so I'm glad."

"It wasn't inappropriate, then?"

Young Do shook his head, "Your mother didn't look happy at the sight of me, but now she definitely thinks we're dating."

Considering her discussion with Esther the day before, Rachel had to agree, "The charade is a success."

Rachel swore she saw Young Do's face twitch for a moment before a smirk settled on his lips.

"Of course. After all, that's the point of all this, isn't it?"

* * *

><p>Young Do was surprised at his reaction.<p>

Yes, they were faking their relationship. Yes, he had thought about her since their last encounter.

_Beautiful,_ he'd thought her.

But he had been hurt when Rachel had brought up the charade.

They weren't a couple, but he'd helped her last night because he wanted to, not because it was his duty.

It wasn't that he necessarily wanted to _date _Rachel or even... no, he _did _want to sleep with... no.

They were dating for the sake of Rachel's avoidance of chaebol heirs.

There was no feelings between him and Rachel. He had no feelings toward her. None.

He was helping her.

_Yes, that was it._

Young Do had been thinking to himself for so long that he'd barely noticed Rachel leave. She'd mentioned it after their conversation of course, smiling as she weaved her way out of the office.

She was gone and she was confident everything was still the same.

It was all logical for her.

He was helping her (out of the goodness of his heart?) and she got to avoid the men her mother plied her with.

But it wasn't so logical.

Why _was _he helping her? Rachel was refreshingly honest and intelligent, and last night Young Do had realised that she was beautiful and more innocent than he'd thought. He had chosen to help her in the spur of the moment but now he was actually considering his decision.

They were now, sort of, even friends.

He had helped her home. She had hugged him and told him not to leave her. But she was drunk, Rachel had been _drunk _and probably imagining him as someone else. So he had left. He had left and then had thought about her every few minutes until she'd entered his office.

Even now...

He was thinking about her.

For her, it was all logical.

But there was nothing logical about love.

Even when it was supposed to be fake.


	4. Playing Games

**Chapter Four: **

**Playing Games**

**…**

Rachel stepped out of Young Do's office surprised by how unconcerned by the whole thing he was.

The Choi Young Do she had known in school wouldn't even have helped her home. But this Young Do said it was nothing and turned back to his work, barely even saying goodbye.

It was refreshing, albeit off-putting.

Her mother was probably still furious. Possibly even more so. And Young Do was happy playing _happy couples _with her.

Maybe it was time to make the relationship more... public.

The perfect opportunity presented itself in the form of the following weekend.

Lee Bo Na was marrying Yoon Chan Young, whose father was shockingly close with Rachel's mother, and the wedding was on Saturday. Rachel had even been asked to be a bridesmaid, although not one of the prominent ones. She and Bo Na had been friends for years, but not very close ones. Shopping trips and the occasional gossip at parties were their chosen forms of interaction, and it suited them. They were happily distant.

And now Bo Na was getting married.

All the most important people would be in attendance. Bo Na's father owned Mega Entertainment. Chan Young had been swiftly climbing the ranks of Jeguk Group in the wake of Kim Won's success, aided by his father. Both had many contacts. Both had many friends, as well.

Rachel had an idea.

The next step in the charade with Young Do. The next step in getting her mother to back off and let her live her own life. The next step in ensuring her mother no longer thought she was a _tool _rather than a daughter.

She and Young Do were going to attend the wedding together.

And then everyone would know that Yoo Rachel was not on the market for a husband.

* * *

><p>The day dawned cloudy and cold. Rachel liked those sorts of days. Chilly but allowing all sorts of possibilities. She liked to think of herself just like those sorts of days.<p>

Young Do had also been invited to the wedding. Because Rachel had an actual role in the wedding, she had been attacked by make-up artists and other assistants since early morning, making sure she was beautiful but still slightly inferior to the bride._  
><em>

In any other circumstance, Rachel would have hated that. But being a bride was a special thing, and Bo Na _ought _to be the most beautiful on her special day. But Rachel was not a fan of the ice blue dress Bo Na had chosen for her bridesmaids.

It was long and sweeping, elegant and classic, strapless and waisted. It was pretty. Lovely, even. But ice blue was the one colour that didn't suit Rachel. She didn't know if it was her hair or her tone of skin or her personality, but it just didn't... match her. It clashed.

And it was the first thing Rachel's mother commented on when she set eyes on her daughter.

"What nice dresses, Lee Bo Na. You've always had wonderful taste. It's a shame that Rachel's just _doesn't _suit her, isn't it? How can-is that Park Geum Ja's daughter? I must have a word..." Lee Esther drifted away, and Bo Na shared a conciliatory smile with Rachel.

"You know that-"

"Yes, I do. Now, Miss Lee, I think we need to get you married."

* * *

><p>The wedding went well.<p>

Everyone spoke when required and were silent when necessary. It went off without a mistake. Soon Bo Na was Yoon Chan Young's wife and they were parading down the aisle together.

Rachel's first married friend. It was an odd thought.

They were all growing up.

She had known that for a while, of course. She had known from the moment her mother said she ought to marry Kim Tan. She had known from the moment another chaebol heir had been suggested to replace the broken engagement with Kim Tan.

And now the first of her friends was _married_.

It wasn't until the reception that Rachel spoke to Young Do.

During the wedding she'd spied him somewhere in the middle of cluster of seated guests and he'd winked at her, but it was when they were finally seated together in the banquet hall, paired by Bo Na who scowled when Rachel asked for a seat change, that they managed to talk.

"Are you enjoying yourself, darling?" Young Do asked, smirking.

"I am," she replied honestly. "I didn't think I would, because it meant that we were all _actually_ growing up, but I am. It's nice."

"Getting ideas for _our_ wedding?"

Rachel spluttered, choking on a sip of wine.

"_What?_"

"Well, sweetheart, we have been dating for a while. It's only natural that you'd look around and get some ideas. We're not in a casual relationship, we both know that," Young Do cooed.

His thumb grazed down her cheek.

It tingled.

This was their plan, their game of being a happy couple._  
><em>

Dating.

_Right._

And he was playing along.

_Right._

"I'm thinking less formal, perhaps in a garden at night. With twinkling lights. In the late spring, or maybe early summer?"

Young Do smiled, but it was controlled, "I'd like that."

Rachel smiled back automatically, and an older woman across the table stage whispered to her friend next to her, "Look at how in love they are! I only wish my husband still looked at me like that!"

She pretended she hadn't heard anything and continued smiling, "Darling, will you dance with me?"

Young Do laughed softly, muttered something about knowing this was going to happen, and rose to his feet.

Soon, they were dancing.

Years and years ago, Rachel had had dancing lessons. Not just ballroom dancing but ballet, and she no longer had to concentrate much on her steps.

It was time to put her plan into motion.

Young Do wasn't in on her plan this time.

She was going to use him shamelessly.

She felt vaguely guilty, but it was better to be successful alone than rely on someone else.

She turned to her partner, pulling him closer.

Young Do raised an eyebrow in askance.

"Kiss me," Rachel demanded.


End file.
